Controlling means for electric motors.



G. H. WHITTINGHAM.

GONTROLLING MEANS FOR ELECTRIC MOTORS. APPLIUATIOH FILED my 21, 1901. nmwnwnn 11110.31, 1909.

965,674. Patented July 26, 1910.

gzww I 1 a7 mm;

depend upon the osition of said manually- UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE H. wnrr'rmamm, or BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, ASSIGNOR r0 MONITOR nANUrAcruame COMPANY or BALTIMORE CITY, A CORPORATION 01'' MARYLAND.

CONTROLLING MEANs ron ELECTRIC MOTORS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 26, 1910.

. Renewed December-31, 1909. Serial N0. 535,902.

To all chum it may concern: Be it known that I, Gnonor. H. WHrrrINe- HAM, a citizen of the United States, residing at Baltimore, in the State of Mar land, have invented certain new andusefu Im rovements in Controlling Means for Electric M0 tors, of which the following is a specification. 4

My invention relates to means for regulating the admission of current to electric motors and it is. particularly adapted for use in connection with motors which have to be frequently stopped and started and operated at various speeds.

In the present inventionthe speed regulation of the motor is accomplished by varying the fieldstrength.

In carryin out the invention I provide means where y the field of the motor receives full current strength and-the armature receives the full starting current when the motor circuits are first connected to the supply circuits, and when the starting current fa ls to a safe predetermined quantity the sections of the starting resistance are successively cut out and at the same time sections of the regulating resistance are succcssively inserted in the field circuit, the cutting out of thestarting resistance and the insertion of the regulating resistance being both controlled by the starting current. I also provide manually o erated means which may be set so as to retain in the field circuit any desired amount of the regulating resistance after the automatic controller has operated, so that the speed of the motor will 0 erated device w ich controls the amount 0 regulatin resistance that is automatically inserted. T e advantages of this arrangement for certain classes of work will be apparent from the following descri tion.

In the accompanying drawing i ure 1 is a side view of an automatic contro ling file-.- vice, the parts being shown in their normal positions, and the circuits being shown diarammatically and, Fi 2 is a similar view, illustrating the operation of the invention,

the cores of two of the regulatin solenoids being in their lower positions an the cores of the remaining two being in their upper positions.

Referring to the drawing M indicates an electric motor and S indicates a switch for admitting current to the motor windings to stop and start the motor. In series with the armature a of the motor are arranged the coils 1 of regulating solenoids A, B, C and D, and the steps or sections of starting resistance R, R, R and R Thus, when the switch S is open and the parts are in their normal positions, shown inFig. 1, the armature circuit extends from the terminal .conductor 2 to one terminal of the coils of the solenoid A, and thence successively, through the coils of said solenoid, resistance R, coils of solenoid B, resistance R, coils of solenoid C, resistance R, coils of solenoid D and resistance R to conductor 3, thence through the armature a of the motor'and thence through conductor 4 to the switch terminal e. At the moment of closing the switch S therefore, the entire starting current will flow through the windings of said solenoids and through all of the resistance sections. The field circuit extends from the conductor 2 through conductor 21 and a field --regulating resistance F R to conductor 22, thence to the field coils f of the motor and short circuited, as will be hereinafter explained, so that at the moment when the switch S is first closed the field receives the full current strength.

The cores a, b, c and d of the re solenoids are normally supported in their .most effective positions within the coils by metal rods 5, 6, 7, and 8 respectively which are secured to the cores and extend upwardly through openings in a supporting bar 9, said rods being provided with stops or collars 10 adapted to rest upon the bar. ,The bar is secured at its center to the core 11 pt ii'lsolenoid F, and a spring 12 normally supports the cross-bar and the cores of all of the solenoids. The coils 13 of the solenoid F are connected to the terminal 6 of the switch S by conductors 14 and 4: and to an auxiliary terminal 6 by conductor 15.

The cores a, b, c and d are electrically connected to the conductor 2 by a flexible conductor 16 which is grounded on the rods 5, 6, 7 and 8. Beneath the cores a, b, c and d, are arranged contacts 17, 18, 19 and 20 which form the stationary members of switches s, 8 s and s, respectively, the movable members of the switches being thl solenoid cores. The stationary switch menie of the circuit closing switch S, by way of ating fiber 17 is ciinnected by a conductor 17?, to a point intermediate the ends of the coils of the solenoid B, and likewise the stationary Switch members 18 and 19 are connected by conductors 18 and 19 to points intermediate the ends of the coils C and D. respectively. The stationary switch member 20 quantity at which it is desired to have the connected by a conductor to the conductor 3 leading to the armature. The solenold A 1s wound so as to supportits core as long as the starting current 18 above a given quantity and then to release its core when the current falls below said predetermined quantity. The solenoids B, C and D are wound so as to support their cores with less than said predetermined quantity flowing. When the switch S is closed, cu rent at once flows through all of the solenoids, and

the solenoid F draws down its core, against L-theaction of the spring 12, thus moving core of the solenoid A drop. lVhen the current falls below this quantity the solenoid A will release its core, and the switch 8 will thereby be closed. The armature current will then flow from the conductor 2 through flexible conductor 16, red 5, solenoid core a,

switch 8 and conductor 17 to a pointintermediate the ends of the coil of the solenoid B. The solenoid A, resistance section B and a portion of the coils of solenoid B will thus I beshort-circuited. The solenoid B will then be weakened, by reason of the short-circuiting of a portion of its windings, so that it L will have about the same strength as'the solenoid A, and after the temporary rise in current which follows the cutting out of the resistance section B, when the current falls to about the same pre-determined quantity cuiting the remaining coils of the solenoid as before the core of the solenoid B will drop and close the switch 8 thus short-cir- B and also short-circuiting the resistance section B and a portion of the'windings of the solenoid G. The current will then pass from flexible conductor lfithrough the rod 6, core I), switch 8 and conductor 18 to a point intermediate the ends of the coils of solenoid C. In the same way, when the current again drops to' the predetermined quantity the core of solenoid C will drop,

, cl'osing the switch 8 and cutting out the remaining windings of the solenoid C, the resistancesection B and the portion of the solenoids D, and finally, the

core of the solenoid D will drop, cuttingout the last resistance section R The current will then flow direct to the armature from flexible conductor 16 throughrod 8, core (Z, switch 8*, conductor 20 and-conductor 3.

When the switch S is opened the solenoid F is immediately denergized, and the F Ris nor mally bridged or short circuited by a conductor 23 which is joined at 24 to one end of the resistance and also connected to a spring contact 25 which normally bears upon the upper end of the rod 5. It will be seen that normally the field current will flow from the terminal a of the switch S through conductors 2 and 16 and the rod 5 and contact 25 to the conductor 23 and thence to the conductor 22, the resistance F R being thus entirely short circuited. Intermediate points in the regulating resistance F R are connected by conductors 26, 27 and 28 to contacts 29, 30 and 31 which normally engage the rods 6, 7 and 8, respectively.

When the switch S is first closed, all of the regulating solenoids at that instant being in their upper positions, and the field regulating resistance being short circuited through the conductor 23, the field will receive its full current. But as the starting current in the armature circuit falls the solenoid A will release itscore, andfthis will result in cutting out the first step R of the starting resistance, and it will'break the circuit through the conductor 23 between the cont-act 25 and the rod 5, so that section 0* of the field regulating resistance, between the connecting points of the conductors 23 and 26, will be introduced into the field circuit (assuming the rod L, whose function will presently be described, to be in the position shown in Fig. 1), the field circuit then ex tending from the flexible conductor '16 through rod 6, contact 29, conductor 26 and resistance section r to the conductor 22 which leads to the field of the motor. No

more of the field resistance can be cut into again falls to a safe predetermined quanti'ty, when the core of the solenoid B will drop, thus short circuiting a section B" of.

the starting resistance and interrupting the circuit through the conductor 26 at a point betweenthe contact 29and therod 6. This Wlll introduce another section, 1, of the regulating resistance, between the connecting points of the conductors 26 and 27, into the field circu t. The current to the field" will then flow from the flexible conductor 16 through the rod 7 contact 30, conductor 27 and resistance sections 1' and 1" to the conductor 22. When the starting current again falls to the safe predetermined quantity, the

core'of the solenoid C will drop, cutting out the sectlon R of the starting resistance and breaking the connection between the rod 7 and the contact 30, so that the field current will then flow from the rod 8 through contact 31, conductor 28 and resistance sections r 7' and 1". In the same way, when the current again falls to the predetermined amount, the core of the solenoid D will drop, cutting out the final step R of the starting resistance and breaking the circuit through the conductor 28 at the point between the rod 8 and the contact 31, so that another section a of the starting resistance will be inserted in the field circuit. The field current will then flow from the wire 21 through allamount one section of the starting resistance engage any less number. 44, 46 and 48 are connected by wires 42*, 44, .46 and 48, respectively, to the terwill be cut out of the armature circuit and one section of the field resistance will be cut into the field circuit, this operation continuing step'by step, until all of the resistance is cut out of the armature circuit and all of the regulating resistance is inserted in the field circuit.

When all of the field regulating resistance is in circuit and the starting resistance is cut out, the motor will operate at its highest speed, and the automatic devices above described are arranged to eliminate the starting resistance and all of the regulating re- Sistance. In connection with the automatic controller I provide means adjustable by hand or at will for regulating the amount .of resistance inserted in the field circuit by said automatic controller, so that after the controller has operated the motor will run at a speed depending upon the position upon which said manually operated device may be set. For this purpose I provide a series of contact pieces 40 to 48, inclusive, and the manually adjustable bar L. which may be set so as to engage all of said contacts, or to The contacts 42,

minals of the resistance sections r 1", 7- and r, and the intermediate contacts 41, 43, 45 and 47 are connected by wires 41 43*, 45 and 47 to intermediate points ofsaid resistance sections.

If the fed L is set in the position shown solenoid C drops.

in full lines in Fig. 1, wherein it doesnot bridge any of said contacts, when the switch S is closed the starter will operate, as previously described, to cut out all of the starting resistance and insert all of the field resistance, step by step; but if the rod L is set in the position shown in dotted lines, in Fig. 1, so as to electrically connect the contacts 40 and 48, then when the starter operates it will not insert any of the field resistance, because the latter is then entirely short-circuited through the wire 40*, bar L, contact 48 and wire 48%. In one case the motor-will operate at its highest speed, and in the other it will operate at its lowest speed. If, a speed between the highest and the lowest is desired, the contact bar L is set in an intermediate position. Thus, in the position of the bar L, shown in full lines in Fig. 2, the bar connects the contacts 44 and 48, and as these contacts are connected by the wires 44 and 48 to the center and right hand end of the regulating resistance the two resistance sections 1- and r are short-circuit'ed through the bar. WVhen the first and second solenoids, A and B, release their cores, they will not insert any resistance in the field circuit notwithstanding the interruption of the circuits through conductors 23 and 26, as shown in Fig. 2, as the current can still flow directly to the field from the flexible conductor 16 to the rod 7 of the solenoid C, thence through contact 30, conductors 27 and 44 to the contact 44, and thence through bar L, contact 48, and wire 48 to the wire 22 which leads to the field. The field will thus receive full current strength until the core of This will break the circuitthrough conductor '27, at the contact 30. The field current will then flow from flexible conductor 16 to red 8, contact 31, conductor 28, through section 1 of the regulating resistance to the wire 44, and thence through the bar L to the .comluctors 4S and 22. \l'hcn the solenoid D drops its core, the circuit through conductor 28 will be broken, and the current to the field will then flow from conductor 21- through sections r and r (it the regulating resistance, and thence through wire 44. bar L, and wire 48 to wire 22 which leads to the field.- The motor will then run with two sections of the regulating resistance in the field circuit. Similarly, it the bar L is set so as to engage all of the contacts from 42 to 48, inclusive, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 2, and the starting switch S is then closed, the three resistance sections, r 1' and a being short-circuited by the bar, the first three solenoids, A, B and C will op crate in succession without introducing any resistance into the field circuit, as the current can flow from conductor 16 to rod 8, thence through conductors 28 and 42 to contact 42, and thence through the bar and conductors 48 and 22. When the solenoid i D drops its core the circuit through conductor 28 is broken and the current then flows from cond'uctor21 through the section '1" of the regulating resistance to the cone ductor 42* and thence through the bar L. The 'field will. thus receive full current strength up to the time when'the core of the last solenoid in the series drops, and then one section of regulatingresistance only will be'iliserted in the field.

If it is desired to leaveonly one-half of a resistance section in circuit after the starter has operated, the bar may be set so as to engage all of the contacts from 41 to 4 8,inclusive. This will short-circuit all of the resistance between the points of connectiou' of the wires 41 and 4:8, namely sections 1",

' 1- W and a. part of "section r T full field strengthwill be maintained until the solenoid D drops its core, when the circuit to the bar L,through. conductors 28 and 42 will be broken, and the current will then flow from conductor'2l through part of resistance section "r to conductor il thence through the bar to the field. If it is desired to have allof. the field resistance inserted except half of a sect-i0n,',the.-bar will beset so as to bridge only the contacts 47 and 48. Then the field will receive ,full current strength through conductor 2.3 until the first solenoid A drops its core. Current will then flow from conductor 16 to rod 6, conductor 26,

' through. partof resistance section 1" to conductor 47, and thence through bar L and wires 18 and 22 to the field, and as the cores of the other solenoids drop in succession,

the sections of resistance, 1*, 1' and T will be controlling motorswhich'are used to operate individual printing presses and some forms of shop tools. Inoperatmg printing presses,

' for some classes of work the press should operate faster than on others; but for any given ob the press should always run at the same speed until thejob is finished, in order that the inked form may be pressed against the paper for the same length of time dur- .mg each impression, so asto make the work uniform inappearance. It is also de- 'sirable for the operator to be able to stop and start the'motor any desired number of" times without changing the speed of the motor. Vith my improvements the switch S may be located convenient to the operator of the printing press or the machine which it is desired to operate, so that he may start 1 and stop the same as often as desired, while the bar L, by which the speed'is set, may be at a distance from the operator and under the control of the foreman, who may thus at will, set the bar to get the desired speed for any particular job. a The operator of the press or other machine, in such case, can not change the speed to suit his own desires. If the motor starts quickly the automatic controller acts quickly, and conversely; but in any event", the starting resistance cannot be cut out. nor the regulating resistance inserted while the starting current remains above the safe predetermined amount' which it is desirable to admit to the motor for starting purposes, and when the stam'er oper ates itwill cut intothe field circuit the entire regulating resistance, a part of saidresistanca'or it will not cut in any of said reslstance, dependmgupon the position in which the hand regulator 1s set.

The invention is particularly intended for use in connection with motors which are designed for low normal speeds and which and where it is desired to run at a given speed, and to stop, and start frequently, the.

field regulator must always be brought back to the same position by the operator in order to obtain the same speed; This requires time and attention on the-part of the open ator, and a careless operator will frequently neglect. to set the regulator in the proper position, or he willadjust the speed .to suit himself instead of suiting the speed to the work. lVith my invention, however, the person whose business it is to sto and start the motor need have nothing to o with the field regulator, and when the latter-is set for a given speed the motor will always operate at that speed regardless of the num ber of times the motor 'is stopped and started. The current controlled regulator will always cutout thestarting resistance r,

and at the/same time out in the required? amount of regulating resistance, and these operations take place just as quickly as the- -load on the motor will admit of, so that no time is-wasted in'these operations. This is an important consideration in cases where the motor has to be stopped and started frequently. v

lzVhat I claim is 1. In a controlling apparatus for electric motors having shuntfield windings, resist- .ances arranged in the armature and field circuits, means controlled by the starting current arranged to cut resistance out of the armature circuit step by step and to,

automatically insert resistance in the field circuit step by step while the resistance is being cut out of the armature circuit.

2. In a controlling apparatus for electric motors having shunt field windings, resistances arranged in the armature and field circuits, means controlled by the starting current arranged to cut resistance out of the armature circuit step by step and to automatically insert resistance in-the field circuit step by step while the resistance is being cut out of the armature circuit and means adjust-able at will for regulating the amount of resistance inserted in the field circuit by said automatic means.

3. In a controlling apparatus for electric motors, a starting resistance in the armature circuit, a regulating resista'ncein the field circuit, and means controlled by the starting current for automatically cutting resistance out of the armature circuit and for auto-- matically cutting resistance into the field circuit while the starting resistance is being cut out.

4. In a controlling apparatus for electric motors, a starting resistance in the armature circuit, a regulating resistance in the field circuit, means controlled by the starting current for automatically cutting resistance out of the armature circuit and for automaticallycutting resistance into the field circuit while the starting resistance is being cut out and means adjustable at will for regulating the amount of regulating resistance cut into the field circuit by said automatic means.

5. In a current regulating. apparatus for electric motors, a regulating resistance ior the field circuit, and a starting resistance in the armature circuit, and automatic current controlled means adapted to maintain said star-ting resistance in circuit and to maintain said regulating resistance out of circuit while the starting current is above a predetermined quantity, and to cut out sections of the starting resistance and insert sections of the regulating resistance when the starting current falls below said predetermined quantity.

6. In a current regulating apparatus for electric motors, a regulating, resistance for the field circuit, and a starting resistance in the armature circuit, automatic current controlled means adapted to maintain said regulating resistance out of circuit while the starting current is above a predetermined quantity, and to cut out sections of the starting resistance and insert sections of the regulating resistance when the starting current falls below said predetermined quantity, and means adjustable at will for short-circuiting various portions of the field re lating resistance.

In a current regulating apparatus for 5 electric motors, a regulating resistance in the field circuit, a circuit for shunting said resistance and means for automatically' maintaining said shunt circuit closed while the starting current in the armature circuit is above a predetermined quantity and for opening said shunt circuit when the current falls below said quantity.

8. In a current regulating apparatus for electric motors, a regulating resistance in the field circuit, a circuit for shunting said resistance, means for automatically maintaining said shunt circuit closed while the starting current in the armature circuit is above a predetermined quantity and for opening said shunt circuit when the current falls below said quantity, and a device adjustable at will for short circuiting portions of said resistance.

9. In a current regulating apparatus for electric motors, a regulating resistance in the field circuit and a starting resistance in the armature circuit, a switch for opening ulating devices being arranged to open said I shunt circuits in succession while the starting resistance is being cut out.

' 10. In a current regulating apparatus for electric motors, a regulating resistance in the field circuit and a starting resistance in the armature circuit, a switch for opening and closing the motor circuits, a plurality of electro-magnetic regulating devices having their windings in series with the armature and adapted to operate in successiom and automatically cut out the starting resistance step by step When the switch is closed, a series of normally closed circuits in shunt to successively smaller portions of the regulating resistance, said regulating de vices being arranged to open said shunt circuits in succession while the starting resistance is being cut out and a device, adjustable at will, for short-circuiting any desired amount of the regulating resistance.

11. The combination with a motor, and a switch for starting and stopping the same, of a starting resistance normally in series with the motor armature, a plurality of electromagnetic regulating devices having their coils in series with the armature and adapted to automatically cut out said starting resistance step by step when said switch is closed, and connections whereby said devices operate to progressively weaken the field of the motor as the starting resistance is cut out.

12. The combination with a motor, and a with the'motor armatur a plurality of [crate to progressively Weaken the field of switch for starting andstopping' the same, of a starting resistance 'normallly in series with the motor armature, a plura ity of electro-magnetic regulating devices having their coils in series with the armature and adaptedto automatically cut out said starting re-c sistance step by step when'saiol switch is closed, connections whereby said devices opthe motor as the starting resistance is cut out, an d'means adJustabIeat will for regulating the degree to which the'field strength isjweakened by the operation ofsaid devices. v

' 13. The combination with a motor, anda switch for starting. and stopping thesame,

--of atstarti ng reslstancenorrnally 'in series with the motor armature, a plurality of elec- :tro-magnetic regulating devices'havingthelr -coils in series with the armature and adapt:

' ed to automatically 'cut out said starting the'field circuit as electro magnetic regulating devices having -'their coils in series with the armature and adapted to automatically cut out said start ingcresistance. step by step when the switch is closed, a regulating resistance for the field circuit, connections whereby said devices operate to progressively insert resistance in the field circuit as the starting '-resistance is cut out and means, adjustable at will, forregulating the amount of regulating resistanceinserted in the field circuit, by

theoperation of said devices.

15; In a controlling apparatus for electric motors, a switch for opening and clos- 'ing the motor circuits, a'start-lng resistance in the armature circuit, a regulating resistance' inthe field circuit, automatic co11trolling means having windings in series with the armature adapted to cut out the starting resistance and insert the regulating resistancewhile the starting'resistance is being cut out when said switch is closed, and to re-insert the starting resistance and cut out the regulating resistancewhen said switch is opened, and means, adj ustableat will, for regulatlng the amount of regulating res stance inserted in the field circuit by said antomatic means.

In testimonywhereof I affix my signature, in presence'oi' two witnesses.

GEQRGE H. WHITTINGHAM, l

' Vitnesses:

v J AMESJ MCG'RATH, RANDOLPH BARTON, J r. 

